Hundreds of East Tennesseans heading to Trump presidential inauguration

Thousands of people from across the country will travel this week to Washington D.C. for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, and several notable East Tennesseans will be among them.

Gov. Bill Haslam is planning a trip to mark the occasion, as well as former Knox County Sheriff – and current Knox County Trump chair – Tim Hutchison.

Former state GOP chair Susan Williams will also leave Thursday for the nation’s capitol.
“I really do look forward to the swearing in,” she said. “It may be raining, cold, muddy, but again, it’s a historic event.”

Former TN GOP chair Susan Williams

This will be Williams’ third inauguration. She said politics aside, it’s important to witness the peaceful transition of power.

But she’s also a conservative at heart – and while she didn’t support Trump early in the campaign, now, she preaches party loyalty.

“So it’s fun, time for the Republicans to come back, so I’ll go and party with my friends,” she said.
But not everyone is hitting the road to show support for the new president. Terry Walker Smith, of Knoxville, will be attending the Women’s March on Washington on Saturday. She says her bus trip was sponsored by local organizers to help her tell her story.

Walker Smith lost two sons to violence. In 2007, her son Djuansay was stabbed to death. In 2009, his brother Christopher was gunned down.

Now, she advocates for justice for victims’ rights.

Terry Walker Smith will attend the Women's March

 

“I’m going on behalf of all mothers that have lost their children to violent crimes,” she said. “For mothers and on behalf of women to be their voice to represent them.”

Kimberly Peterson heads the local chapter of the Women’s March. She said they believe about 1,000 women will be attending from across East Tennessee.

Both Peterson and Walker Smith are quick to note – not all attendees are there to protest Trump. Many hope to raise awareness for women's issues and stand in solidarity.

“We are just very proud so many local women are getting out of their comfort zone and sending the message that women's right are human rights,” said Peterson.

She also noted the local chapter has covered the trip cost for 14 women with a scholarship program.
But whatever the reason for the trip, Williams said she hopes after this week, the U.S. can begin to heal after a contentious election season.

"Hopefully we'll get him sworn in and everyone will go, ‘OK, he's our president now,’ and try to work with him,” said Williams.

Wiser releases official candidate announcement for register of deeds

Donald Wiser is running as an independent against Knox County Register of Deeds Sherry Witt. He initially picked up a nominating petition to run for the sheriff's post as well. What follows is his official announcement that he is seeking Witt's post.

In it, I think he believes that there's some kind of conspiracy against him to run for sheriff. I'm not sure as the news release makes little sense (at least to me). However, as I've stated before, send me your election stuff and I'll post it.

The general election is set for August. Neither has an opponent in the May primary.

On a side note, Wiser talks about Sheriff Jimmy "J.J." Jones and Witt seeking a third term in office, and says the law doesn't allow this.

No, not true. The voters recently amended the charter to define what a "term" is, and it doesn't include prior appointments. (JJ and Sherry each served roughly two years - as did Clerk Foster Arnett Jr - before winning their respective political races back in 2010.)

So, anyhoo, here ya go:

On 20 February 2014, I was forced to make a decision as to what course I was to travel in an endeavor to bring the honest and efficient government that the citizens of Knox County rightly deserve and to which they are entitled under the Constitutions of the United States, the State of Tennessee and the Knox County Charter.

But the road to the office of Knox County Sheriff is blocked with unconstitutional barriers that cry out for justice as surely as did the poll tax in times gone by.

A small county Peace Officer Standards and Training certified jailor with three years’ service and a GED qualifies as a candidate for sheriff.

The law requiring candidates for sheriff to be POST certifiedfor three of the last 10 years is an unconstitutional, incumbent-protection measure written to exclude qualified opponents. It denies my constitutional right to run for sheriff even though I am a career police officer, had 24 years of POST certification, and served as a POST commissioner.

I am an honorably discharged veteran of the United States Navy and hold a BS in criminal justice from East Tennessee State University and an M.S. plus 40 hours in Health and Safety Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I have also completed 2 years of law school at Nashville School of Law.

I have been a Criminal Justice instructor at Walters State Community College, an administrator at a treatment program at Mountain View Youth Development Center in Dandridge, have taken a course in FBI Instructor Development and attended the Tennessee Correctional Academy along with numerous related police schools and training for Drug and Alcohol Counseling.

But under this unconstitutional and downright unconscionable law, I am not qualified to be a candidate for sheriff.

In addition to my educational background, I have 6 years as a field auditor with the Trustee's Office and private sector experience in land management.

Unlike the incumbent sheriff and register of deeds, who hand out promotions based on the good ol’ boy system, I understand company needs and people needs and the need for accountability and transparency in government.

The Hutchison-Moore Machine conceived both Jimmy “JJ” Jones and Sherry Witt on Black Wednesday. They were appointed, then unappointed by the court, elected for a term, re-elected for a second term and are now running for the third time.

If my math serves me right this will be three terms, not the two that the law allows.

Burchett looking to raise coin for wreaths for veteran cemeteries

The latest release from Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett:

Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett is launching a Wreaths Across America team in an effort to raise funds to place as many live wreaths on the graves of veterans buried at the two East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery locations in Knox County. 

 A $15 sponsorship will pay for a wreath made of live greenery to be placed on a veterans’ grave at either the Lyons View Pike or Governor John Sevier Highway East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery locations.

“I can remember how much it meant to my mom seeing these wreaths placed on graves at the Lyons View cemetery where my dad is buried,” said Mayor Burchett.  “I hope that the community will join me in showing the families of our fallen heroes that their service to our nation is appreciated and will never be forgotten.”

There are more than 6,000 veterans buried at the two East Tennessee State Veteran Cemetery locations in Knox County.

Anyone wanting to sponsor a wreath can do so by visiting right smack here and clicking on the Wreaths Across America banner.  The organization is also offering a “three-for-two” sponsorship special, which means they will donate a wreath for every two that are sponsored.

Pilot Flying J has also agreed to help out with a sponsorship grant of up to $5,000.

The wreath sponsorship cutoff deadline is Dec. 2, and the wreaths will be placed on the graves on Dec. 14.

Visit right smack here for more information about the organization.

The two Tims talk. But about what?

Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett and former long-time sheriff, Tim Hutchison, were spotted at Wright's Cafeteria Thursday during lunch time. What they talked about, however, appears to be a mystery, but the story goes that Burchett actually called Hutch.

Heh.

When asked whether Hutch, who lost to Burchett in the GOP primary in 2010 for the mayor's post, talked about a potential run at the newly-created 89th District in the Tennessee State House, the mayor declined to comment.

Actually, when I asked him about anything, he declined to comment, which isn't typical of the mayor.

Course that might have had something to do with the Metal Shed on the Hill's editorial about former Law Director Richard Beeler. (And no, I'm not on the editorial board.)

Regardless, we'll know soon. The qualifying deadline is April 5.

Hutchison legal bills tabled; more appeals

Herbert S. Moncier just won't quit.

Not that, that is necessarily a bad thing.

But in this case, I think it might be time to throw it in. Because Knox County taxpayers could be looking at a bigger bill. Or maybe not. He could win.

Yeah, I know. What am I talking about? Rambling here.

OK, in August the legal team for Tim Hutchison asked the county commission to reimburse it $134,000 for (so far) successfully defending the long-time Knox County sheriff against a number of ouster lawsuits.

All which were filed by Moncier on behalf of residents. Heh. Really, this was Herb filing these bad boys on behalf of himself. Cause he doesn't have much love for the old sheriff. And vice versa.

Anyhoo, the commission tabled the request in late August. Then yesterday tabled it again.

Apparently, Moncier is trying to appeal what the court's already dismissed, but - just in case - county Law Director Joe Jarret asked officials to hold off until the October meeting when he expects the courts to wrap up everything.

In the meantime, if Herb doesn't win, figure that the law firm will tack defending this appeal onto its final bill.

Commissioners to talk about talking

Looked through the county commission's work session agenda for Monday. Glad there's nothing about homelessness and hillside/ridgetop. I might get out of there by midnight.

Anyhoo, the Carter Elementary issue is obviously back. This will probably be the meeting where we all find out specifically where everyone stands. Well, until the following week when some folks stick their finger in the political wind and change their minds.

The board also will talk about whether to reimburse former Sheriff Tim Hutchison's law firm for its legal bills.

And we got another interesting little gem: Commissioners will talk about how much they talk.

Chairman Mike Hammond was telling me the other day that the board doesn't exactly follow Robert's Rules of Order. (If you don't know what it is, then Google it. Heh.) Apparently, when commissioners are talking about an issue, they only get one go-around. At times. Not always. Sometimes. Whatever.

Hammond, though, lets everyone talk for as long as they want and as often. So long as they get in line. I'm talking about commissioners here - not the public. The public talks too much, anyway. Heh.

Soooo, Commissioner Mike Brown asked the top dog about it, saying maybe he should limit the amount commissioners yap. Pot calling the kettle black and all. And Hammond acquiesced.

Still, the chairman pointed out that a commissioner might later have a "good question" and - if Brown has his way - they won't be able to ask it.

I'm betting nothing changes.

Tim Hutchison's legal bills due?

Hey, guess who is back? And wanting some mega-coin?

Well, sort of.

Attorneys for former Knox County Sheriff Tim Hutchison want the county to pay up - to the tune of some $134,000 in scratch for successfully defending the long-time sheriff during a series of ouster suits that began in 2007.

(It's not actually known if Hutch paid the attorneys and they're collecting for him or if they were waiting for the county - former county law director John Owings hired the firm - to just flat out reimburse them. Not sure if that sentence even made sense.)

Click right smack here for the memo and the itemized statements from the law firm.

The county (that means taxpayers) paid for former Commissioner Paul Pinkston's legal fees ($24,000), and plan to pick up the bill ($4,300) for Commissioner R. Larry Smith's tab for some Ethics Committee related crap that didn't have anything to do with ouster suits.

I'll have a story in Saturday's paper with more detail.

Have a good weekend.